Contract Manager – Construction & Bid Coordination – Cape Town

Shift Pursuit; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Shift Pursuit, a leading design-led architectural and engineering studio, seeks a Contract Manager to oversee contract administration and bid coordination on Cape Town projects. You will support the supervision consultant to safeguard contractual, commercial, and risk interests throughout project execution.

You will manage IPAs, final accounts, variations, and compliance while coordinating with Resident Engineers, planners, QS, and client teams to deliver projects on time and within budget.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil, Structural, or Mechanical Engineering.
• 5–10 years of experience in construction projects with contract management exposure.
• Experience within a Supervision Consultant or Engineer's team is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of contract administration practices and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Administer bid/tender contracts and advise on rights and risks.
• Identify opportunities, coordinate inputs, ensure regulatory compliance.
• Review variations/claims and maintain variation register.
• Oversee IPAs and Final Accounts with QS/Project Controllers.
• Monitor programmes, track delay milestones, and manage risks.
• Prepare contractual reports and liaise with engineers and client teams.

Skills

Contract administration

Tender coordination

Negotiation skills

Analytical thinking

Attention to detail

Independent on-site work

Stakeholder management

Education

BEng / BSc / BTech in Civil/Structural/Mechanical

Job description

Introduction:

Our client, a leading design-led architectural and engineering studio, is seeking a skilled and proactive Contract Manager to join their Cape Town-based team. This role offers an exciting opportunity to oversee the effective administration of construction contracts and bid coordination across iconic urban and architectural projects, supporting the supervision consultant in safeguarding contractual, commercial, and risk interests throughout project execution.

Key Performance Areas:

• Contract Administration: Administer bid/tender contracts, advise project directors/resident engineers on rights and risks, and manage formal contractual notices and correspondence.
• Tender/Bid Coordination: Identify and review opportunities, coordinate multidisciplinary inputs, ensure compliance (B-BBEE, tax clearance, documentation), and track submissions.
• Claims & Variations: Review and assess variation orders and change requests, prepare contractual recommendations, and maintain the variation register.
• Commercial Control & Payments: Review Interim Payment Applications (IPAs) and Final Accounts in coordination with QS/Project Controllers, verifying retention and advance payment terms.
• Time & Risk Management: Monitor baseline programmes, track contractual delay milestones, identify commercial risks, and support dispute avoidance.
• Reporting & Coordination: Prepare contractual reports/dashboards and liaise closely with Resident Engineers, discipline engineers, planners, QS, and Client/PMC teams

Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree (BEng / BSc / BTech) in Civil, Structural, or Mechanical Engineering.
• 5-10 years of experience in construction projects, with significant exposure to contract management.
• Proven experience working within a Supervision Consultant or Engineer's team.
• Strong knowledge of contract administration practices and procedures.

Key Skills:

• Strong contractual, analytical, and negotiation skills.
• Excellent tender and bid coordination capabilities.
• Fluent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• High attention to detail and meticulous documentation habits.
• Ability to work independently on site and manage multi-disciplinary stakeholders.
• Strong commercial awareness and proactive problem-solving ability.